Allergy and Free From Show's Cancelled - Organisers in Liquidation

This morning while checking Facebook over breakfast I saw a post on Glasgows Coeliac UK Facebook group saying the event organisers being the Allergy Shows had gone into liquidation and subsequently the Glasgow Allergy and Free From show was cancelled, and quite possibly the London and Birmingham shows too. These events were pretty big deal for Coeliacs and the gluten free community so these cancellations will be a huge blow.

This doesn't affect the Bristol Free From Festival which are completely different organisers

The Allergy and Free From Shows have been happening a fair few years, starting in London and also starting a Liverpool show a few years later (last year this one moved to Birmingham) which was followed by one starting in Glasgow more recently. So the post did surprise me a little as nothing seemed to have been announced anywhere.

I used to love these shows were great for finding new gluten free brands, albeit over the years I have found decent stalls decreasing with more fillers like Cats Protection edging in. When I first went 8 years ago I remember buying so much at discount prices but over the years I started coming away with less and less which was a shame but always worth a visit to chat to other Coeliacs and see if there was any new gluten free products being unveiled at the shows.

After I saw the post I had a poke around the interwebs and found that the company (having exhibited at a show before I had a dig through my emails to find the company name) behind the Allergy Show had indeed gone into liquidation, and it actually happened in December according to companies house page.

Having spoke to a couple of exhibitors, including Good It's Gluten Free on Twitter, the exhibitors of the Glasgow Allergy and Free From Show were informed just before Christmas that the event was cancelled. It seems the same honour hasn't been given to those who have signed up for free tickets to visit the events though.

The Allergy and Free From Show websites are still active and letting visitors get free tickets. However, if you look at each venues websites they have different events scheduled when the Allergy Shows should be and no sign of these events happening alongside anything else (say in different halls), so my guess is all three have been cancelled without communicating to potential visitors.

Glasgow was scheduled to happen on the 3-5th March yet these are the events on SEC's website for round those dates

London's was 7-9th July but similarly event is missing from the Excels website.

Birmigham's Allergy Show date hadn't been announced but would usually be around beginning of November.

Why they haven't told free ticket holder is anyone's guess, more than likely down to the liquidation process would be my hunch- but with the Glasgow show being just 3 weeks away it is leaving it late when there will be people who are booking trains, planes and hotels to visit.

So beware, Glasgow is definitely cancelled and it does look like London is the same.

Do you have any memories of the Allergy Show? What were your favourite finds from them? I remember first discovering Promise Gluten Free bread well before they hit supermarkets and getting to try Juvela bread too when it was prescription only! Oh and can't forget the day the place almost emptied when we were exhibiting because of the World Cup...most exhibitors were watching the England match on their phones!